


I Just Wanted a Simple Life

by Sommungchi2000



Category: ASTRO (Band), I.O.I (Band), ITZY (Band), K-pop, NCT (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band), SIXTEEN (TV), 私がモテてどうすんだ | Watashi ga Motete Dousunda | Kiss Him Not Me
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cameos, Comedy, Crack Relationships, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Reverse Harem, Romance, Shipping, Watashi ga Motete Dousunda-inspired, everyone is in high school, just fujoshi things, love hexagon, mentions of bullying, unresolved childhood trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28798929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sommungchi2000/pseuds/Sommungchi2000
Summary: Jeon Somi just wanted a simple life: a life where she could see boys hug, kiss, and generally be with each other: just usual boy things. But after suddenly going through a transformation changing her into an absolute babe, four of her school's most gorgeous boys and the epitome of girl crush, started courting her, throwing her whole life into a journey filled with love, romance, laughs, and to an extent, healing.Heavily inspired by the Japanese manga 'Kiss Him, Not Me'
Relationships: Ennik Somi Douma | Jeon Somi/Kim Mingyu, Ennik Somi Douma | Jeon Somi/Lee Dongmin | Cha Eunwoo, Ennik Somi Douma | Jeon Somi/Lee Taeyong, Kim Mingyu/Lee Dongmin | Cha Eunwoo, Lee Taeyong/Park Jisung, Park Jisung/Ennik Somi Douma | Jeon Somi, Shin Ryujin/Ennik Somi Douma | Jeon Somi
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Mentions of childhood bullying faced by our protagonist Somi
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“Half-breed! Half-breed! Go back to where you came from. ”Children taunted, their jeers directed towards a little girl with Eurasian features.

The aforementioned little girl dumbfoundedly stared at the other children, initially being unable to understand the cruelty of her peers’ words. However, determined to play with them, she stepped a little closer to the crowd, much to their disgust. 

Another little girl, presumably the leader, shrieked and pushed her down, causing the latter to fall into a puddle, staining her dress. 

“I told you to stay away from us, you dirty little foreigner. You don’t belong here.”The girl snarled. Turning to her peers, she ordered, “Let’s go, guys. Before she infects us.”

The group walked away from the girl, still lying on the ground. The little girl took a look at herself in the puddle, disdainfully appraising her blonde hair and light brown eyes. 

At that moment, she hated who she was. She wanted to change. 

Balling up the hem of her dress in her fists, she got up and ran back to her house, angry tears forming in her eyes.

\--

*Present-day*

“Yo, Cha Eunwoo, pass the ball to me.” Kim Mingyu yelled at his oldest friend and classmate, blocked by a bunch of opposing players, holding out his arms. 

Simply smiling, Eunwoo did as Mingyu asked, throwing the ball towards the taller man, who promptly made the winning shot, seconds before the coach whistled to signal the end of the quarter.

“Time! Blue team leads by five points! Next quarter starts in two minutes!”The coach declared, much to the happiness of the gaggle of Eunwoo and Mingyu’s fangirls.

“Yay! Oh my god, they’re so handsome and cool!” 

“I love you, Eunwoo oppa!”

“Mingyu sunbae, you’re the best!”

The two men, ignoring the rabid cheers of their fangirls, simply grinned at one another, exchanging a friendly embrace which then turned into good-natured teasing and play-fighting, causing the screams to get even louder.

“Yes. Yes.” Meanwhile, Jeon Somi whispered underneath her breath, basking in the wonderful sight in front of her. “A prince with a prince. What a wonderful sight. Lord, thank you for blessing me with this, so early in the morning.”

“Jeon Somi, I see that you are fangirling about Eunwoo and Mingyu together.” Chaeyoung, her best friend, teased, taking a seat next to her. 

“And how could I not?!” Somi looked at her friend, looking absolutely bewildered. “This…”She gestured towards the two boys who were now getting ready for the next quarter.“This... is one of the reasons why life is not so bad. The force of pure friendship and implicit love between two prince-like figures! It is without a doubt one of the strongest forces protecting the goodness of humanity!”

“Okay, okay.”Chaeyoung giggled, patting her friend on the back. “Well, I am not one to tease you about this. After all, I get it...to an extent. But I still can’t believe that you think Eunwoo is the top. Mingyu is too aggressive to be the bottom. And Eunwoo is such a sweetie.”

“Just because you’re outwardly aggressive, doesn’t mean that you’re dominant. I can’t describe it...but Cha Eunwoo is a top, through and through.”

“I don’t get you, but it’s Mingyu x Eunwoo.”

“Eunwoo x Mingyu.”

Due to the heated nature of the argument of the two girls, they failed to see a ball flying towards Somi, hitting her on the head.

Immediately, a group of concerned people circled around the girl, lying flat on the ground as she reeled from the injury as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

“Somi-yah, are you okay? Someone help her.”Chaeyoung screamed.

Mingyu, the culprit, shook her gently, trying to get her to wake up as their eyes met. “Yah, Jeon Somi, please don’t die. I can’t go to jail.”

“Mingyu, seriously? Is that the only thing you can think about right now?”Somi could hear Eunwoo’s chastising words in the background as she finally fainted.

-

Somi woke up after sometime, finding herself in the infirmary with a worried Chaeyoung looming over her. 

“Thank god, you woke up. I was so worried.” Chaeyoung sighed with relief. “Especially after seeing the swelling on your head. I was just about to kill Mingyu.”

Sitting up, Somi chuckled. “It’s fine. It’s not like he did it on purpose. And the bump will heal with time.”

“Sometimes, you’re way too forgiving, Jeon Somi.” Chaeyoung shook her head and then a moment later, took something out of her pocket. “Also, Somi, your glasses unfortunately broke but we could probably get Mingyu to fix them.”

“Oh, it’s honestly fine. I honestly just use them for aesthetic purposes anyway. Besides, I have my contacts in, so I am good.” Somi reassured, pointing at her ebony-colored contacts.

“In spite of being your friend since middle school, I don’t know what goes on in your head sometimes, Jeon Somi. You’re probably the only person I know who uses both glasses and color contacts. And you’re also the only person I know who would pay to dye naturally blonde hair. Honestly, Somi, you would be so popular if you just stop dying your hair and start using clear contacts. You’re stunning, girl.” Chaeyoung chided.

Somi took a look at herself in the mirror, looking at her dyed black hair which was fading back to its original dirty blonde color and her ebony-colored contacts, masking her honey-colored orbs. 

And immediately, unpleasant memories of her childhood started to pop up. Shaking her head to get rid of them, Somi said with a small smile, “I like my way of life to be simple, Chaeyoung. As long as I have you and my appreciation for the passionate bonds between handsome men, I am good. I don’t need popularity-it’s too much of a hassle.” 

“Besides,”Somi continued, motioning at herself, “I weigh a good hundred pounds more than what is considered to be ideal in Korea. And it would take a miracle for me to lose it in a short amount of time. Anyway, to change the topic, what are you doing today? Wanna come over and watch the latest episode of ‘The King and His Bodyguard’ with me?”

Chaeyoung sadly shook her head. “As much as I would love to, I can’t. I promised Mark we would watch that new action movie together.”

“Ooh, things are heating up, are we?”Somi teased. She then added a moment later, “Does he know about you being a hardcore otaku?”

Chaeyoung’s eyes widened in horror at the thought. “Nope, and I won’t tell him. He would think I am an absolute weirdo...no offense.”

“None taken. Vernon oppa calls me that and much more, so I am good.”

“You know for someone who is so absolutely gorgeous, your brother is such a grumpy sourpuss.”

“Oh, barf at the fact that you think he’s handsome but I do agree with you on the sourpuss part.” The two girls shared a hearty laugh until they were interrupted by someone.

“Excuse me, Somi sunbae, if you’re feeling better, could you let someone else use the bed? You don’t even look that injured.” Jisung looked at the older girl with an indifferent expression on his face.

“Look here, kid, can’t you see the bump on her head?”Chaeyoung growled protectively. 

“Chaeyoung, it’s okay.”She cut off, reassuringly patting the short girl on the head. “Yes, of course, Jisung-ah. We need to go to class anyway.”

Getting off the bed, Somi dragged Chaeyoung away before she could say anything else.

“Who was that little brat?”

“That was Park Jisung. We are both on the food and wellness committee together, but we don’t really talk.”

“Regardless, for such a cute face, his attitude towards upperclassmen is so rude.”Chaeyoung shook her head.

“It’s honestly fine, Chaeyoung. Besides, don’t you think brattier a cutie like him is, the better?”

“Hmm…”Chaeyoung pondered before breaking out into a grin. “I guess you’re right.”

“Somi-yah, are you okay? Why is there a huge bump on your head?” A handsome man approached them, a worried expression etched on his face.

“Ah, Taeyong sunbae, it’s honestly nothing. It was just an accident in gym class.”

“Oh, that’s a relief. I have to get to class now but I am glad you’re alright. I will see you later during club time.” With a friendly wave, Taeyong walked away from the two girls. 

“Wow, it’s like seeing an actual anime character come to life.”Chaeyoung breathlessly said. “Taeyong-sunbae is such a nice person. Perhaps, I should join the gaming club too.”

Somi giggled at her friend’s remarks, entering the classroom where she was greeted by Eunwoo and Mingyu.

“Go on, Mingyu.”Eunwoo pushed Mingyu towards the girl. Petulantly pouting, Mingyu said, “Sorry about that time. I hope you’re okay now.”

“It’s absolutely fine. I just have a bump on my head, that’s all.”

Mingyu then absentmindedly remarked, “Oh, for real? I thought you wouldn’t be injured since you are quite cushiony.”

Hearing this, Eunwoo and Chaeyoung gasped. The former immediately clicked his tongue in disapproval and pulling on Mingyu’s ear, scolded, “Kim Mingyu, why did you say that? That is so rude. Apologize now...goodness, in any case, both Mingyu and I are sorry, Somi.”

In the chaos of it all, Chaeyoung led Somi to her desk, muttering angrily. “How can he say that? Honestly, the only good thing about Mingyu is his looks but don’t let him get to you, So-”

“The way Eunwoo pulled on Mingyu’s ear. That is the stuff. God, thank you so much…”With that, Somi promptly fainted once more. 

“Jeon Somi!”

\--

“Mom, I am home. I will be in my room watching ‘The King and His Bodyguard’!”Somi yelled, quickly racing to her room to change into her loungewear and watch the latest episode of ‘The King and His Bodyguard’. 

Somi’s favorite manhwa had been adapted into a Korean drama, much to the surprise of the many fans, given the relatively conservative nature of Korean content. While the risque nature of the original manhwa had been reduced significantly to more implicit and subtle acts and gestures, regardless, the drama became an overnight success, not only earning critical acclaim from the general public but also launching the actors to international stardom. There were even rumors of there being a second season, which was quite rare in Korean dramas. 

But Somi was all the more excited, especially at the thought of seeing her favorite character, the eponymous bodyguard, Kang Yong-rae. Somi marvelled at how Yong-rae, in spite of the numerous threats to his own life, tried his best to protect the young king, the most important person in his life. 

It also helped that the actor playing Yong-rae very closely resembled Mingyu and the person playing the young king resembled Eunwoo, allowing her to make real-life comparisons.

Going on to Netflix to wait in eager anticipation, she went on Twitter to chat with the other fans eagerly waiting to watch the new episode. 

“I heard that this episode is going to be BIG.”

“Yong-rae x His Highness...name a better pair.”

“I heard that in this episode, Yong-rae will die protecting the king.”

Somi froze, reading the last tweet. ‘It can’t be. Without the bodyguard, there would be no king and the bodyguard. What is this?’ But she shook the thought out of her head. ‘It’s probably just a troll.’

A few minutes later, the episode was finally released. Phone in hand, Somi watched eagerly as the episode began where the previous episode left off where the king and Yong-rae, play-fighting, ended up on the former’s bed, unwilling to let go of each other. 

Somi squealed as the king flipped Yong-rae over and traced his lips, going in for a kiss when suddenly, the attendant called for them to get ready to go back to the capital. Somi cursed the attendant for ruining such a beautiful moment but she watched on, admiring how amazing Yong-rae looked on horseback as he rode alongside the king to make conversation.

She then gasped when assassins popped out of nowhere, causing Yong-rae to get off of his horse and fight them.

“This is nothing I haven’t handled before.”Yong-rae said with a smirk as he drew his sword, easily dispatching them.

“So cool!”Somi squealed with delight, failing to notice along with Yong-rae who had his back turned ready to get back on his horse, that one of the assassins, who was still surprisingly alive, got up. The assassin stabbed Yong-rae in the back, causing blood to spurt out.

“Yong-rae!”Somi and the king screamed in horror as the bodyguard dropped to his knees and then fell face-down on the ground, apparently dead. 

A subsequent crack could be heard in the Jeon-Douma household as Somi broke her phone with her bare hands, unable to watch any further.

“Yong-rae…”She whispered, as she started to wail.

\--

“Why is Somi absent again? It’s been two weeks.”Her homeroom teacher said in exasperation, looking at her empty seat.

Chaeyoung also looked at her friend’s empty seat, worried for dear life. ‘She has been completely off the grid. And she refuses to talk to anyone. She must have taken Yong-rae’s death hard. I hope she’s okay.”

Meanwhile, at the Jeon-Douma household, Somi’s mother, while initially understanding, was now extremely worried about her daughter’s refusal to get out of her room. Knocking on Somi’s door for the umpteenth time, she pleaded. “Ennik Somi Douma, stop shutting yourself in like this and come out. You’ve missed school for two weeks and you haven’t even eaten. Please come out.”

Just then, Somi’s older brother Vernon walked out of his room, still groggy from the lack of sleep. “Oh, Hansol, could you please do something?”

“What?”

“Don’t ‘what’ me! Aren’t you worried for your little sister?”Their mother scolded.

Sighing in frustration, Vernon kicked down Somi’s door, much to their mother’s horror. “Oi, you freak of nature, wake up. Get your butt out of bed!”

“Fine.” Sniffling, after a few moments, Somi got up and shuffled towards the bathroom, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her mother and brother stared at her, shock and fear registered on their faces. 

Somi took a look at her hair, which was now back to its original blonde. “Oh no, my hair...it’s fine. I can just cover it up with a hoodie. I am going to take a shower now. I feel gross.” She said, failing to see her mother and brother huddled in the corner. 

“I have to tell Chaeyoung about what happened...but I broke my phone. And damn it, I even ran out of color contacts. My life is honestly going down the toilet. Oh, Yong-rae...why did you have to leave?”She said to herself as she entered the bathroom. 

Squeezing out toothpaste on her toothbrush, she finally took a look at herself in the mirror and instead of the familiar sight, she was greeted by a thinner, blonde version of herself. Blinking in surprise, she rubbed the mirror’s surface to check whether she was just blind from not having her contacts on, but when the figure refused to budge, she screamed bloody murder. 

“Mommy, who’s this person?! I am scared!”

“Wait, Somi-yah, so it is you?”

“Are you for real?”Vernon asked, shocked at his sister’s transformation.

\--  
“Why is everyone staring at me?...I must look so weird, that’s why.”Somi reasoned with herself as she walked down the hallway to her class and was met by dumbfounded stares from the other students. 

Her clothes, in spite of her mother’s last-minute alterations, were still slightly baggy, causing her to shift all the more uncomfortably. She soon reached the door of her class. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed the creases of her uniform and entered the class, who after taking a look at her, started to whisper endlessly.

“Oh my god, she’s so pretty. She must be a model.”

“A new transfer student? This late into the school year?”

“Look at that body. It’s insane.”

“Is that real blonde hair? Look at how light her eyes here.”

Somi, paying no attention to the whispers, spotted her friend Chaeyoung who squinted at her, as if trying to place where she knew her from. 

“Chaeyoung-ah, I am so sorry for not contacting you. But what do I do about Yong-rae?”Somi whined, running to her friend and pulling her in an embrace.

“Wait...that voice...Somi, is that you?!”

“HUH? JEON SOMI?!”


	2. Chapter 2

‘How did I end up here?’ Somi asked herself, taking a look at her surroundings. 

Somi was in a movie theater sandwiched between Eunwoo and Mingyu on one side, and Taeyong and Jisung on the other, the seating arrangement having been decided by a game of rock, paper, scissors. 

She could not focus on the movie when there was something even better right next to her; Mingyu falling asleep on Eunwoo’s shoulder while Taeyong, being the gentleman he was, offered a tissue to a teary Jisung while patting him on the head affectionately. The younger boy pouted but accepted the gestures nonetheless.

‘The love between two pretty best friends on one side, and the tsundere underclassmen and caring sunbae on the other...this is not bad...wait, what I am thinking? Wicked thoughts, be gone! Focus, Somi, focus!’ She scolded herself, forcing her attention back on the movie. But soon, her thoughts went back to the day this ‘date’ came to be.

\--

“Wait...that voice...Somi, is that you?!”

“HUH? JEON SOMI?!” 

Her classmates all stared at her, absolute bewilderment in their eyes. They then started to bombard her with questions and remarks.

“What on earth happened to you?”

“Are you really Jeon Somi?”

“Someone, get a DNA test! I think the real Jeon Somi has been abducted!”

“Uh…” Flustered by the onslaught of her classmates’ questions, she took a step back, causing her to lose her balance. It would have been a nasty fall if it was not for Eunwoo catching her at the right moment. 

“Stop it, everyone! You’re scaring her!”He scolded the others. 

After the others retreated out of embarrassment and shame, Eunwoo focused his attention on Somi.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes...Thanks, Eunwoo.”Somi smiled, her honey brown eyes glinting with gratefulness. 

Eunwoo stared for a moment, tongue-tied as his heart skipped a beat. 

“Eunwoo…”

Breaking out of his reverie, he realized that his arm was still circled around her waist. Immediately withdrawing in surprise, he apologized. “I am sorry about that.”

“Oh no, it’s-”

“Whoa? This only happens in dramas. She transformed into a cute girl after losing weight...that’s like witchcraft.” Mingyu interrupted, pushing himself in between Eunwoo and Somi.

The girl stared at Mingyu, causing him to lose his train of thought for a second. But he immediately shook the trance off and grinned mischievously. Pointing at Somi, he exclaimed, “Guys, you better be careful.”

Meanwhile, Somi kept staring at Mingyu, suddenly remembering the resemblance the boy had with Yong-rae, the bodyguard who was loyal even until the bitter end. 

“Yong-rae…”She whispered under her breath, tears forming in her eyes as she bit her lower lip to prevent the incoming tears, albeit to no avail. The lookalike of her favorite character then became flustered, unable to understand the reason as to why Somi was crying. 

“Uh what? Yah, Jeon Somi-”

She then dashed out of the classroom, her hands covering her face to prevent anyone else from seeing the tears. 

‘Did I actually hurt her with my words?’He asked himself as their classmates yelled at him for being inconsiderate. 

“Kim Mingyu, you’re so mean!”

“Why did you make her cry?”

“You can go too far sometimes, Mingyu.”

“W-Wait…”

Somi kept running through the hallways, unable to stop crying as she thought of the resemblance between the two. ‘Is this how it’s going to be whenever I see Mingyu? I need to get over this. Otherwise, it’s going to be a huge mess.’

In her thoughts, she failed to see Park Jisung turn the corner, causing her to crash against her underclassman. 

“What’s the big idea? Why are you running-?”

“Jisung-ah, I am so sorry. Are you hurt? I hope you are okay.”Somi asked worriedly, leaning close to him to inspect for any injuries.

Jisung’s eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful, teary-eyed girl who somehow knew his name. The sight of her rendered him speechless and made his heart thump excitedly. At the girl’s question, he wordlessly nodded, unable to find the words. 

Sighing with relief, the girl brushed herself off. “Well, that’s a relief. I am going to go back to class then. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

As she turned to leave, the younger man finally found the strength to speak as he impulsively grabbed her hand. “Wait.”

“Huh? Is everything okay, Jisung-ah?”

“Um...Well...Yes...You’re hurt.” He pointed at her knee which was scraped. “We must treat that.” 

He dragged her into the infirmary in spite of Somi’s protests that the injury was not serious. In her mind, the question of how someone like Jisung who was so standoffish and aloof the other day was now being so nice. 

As soon as they entered the infirmary, they were greeted by Taeyong who had scratches all over his arms and face. 

“Oh, hi, Somi. Are you okay?”Taeyong asked, as he tried his best to apply the antiseptic to his wounds.

Horrified, Somi stepped forward to help her upperclassman. “Taeyong sunbae, what happened to you? Why do you have scratches all over you?”

“Oh, it’s nothing...I just helped a cat who could not get down and got scratched as a result. But it doesn’t hurt that much.”

“Sunbae…”  
“Hold it!”

The two looked behind to see Jisung, a shocked expression on his face as he pointed at Somi. “What did you say her name was again?”

“Somi. Jeon Somi. She’s a sophomore here.”

“That’s how you knew my name…”Jisung gasped, reeling from the discovery as he compared the original image of Somi he had in his mind to the blonde beauty right in front of him. Screaming in terror, he ran away. “It can’t be.”

“What is with that child?”

“He’s a first year here. I guess I changed a lot, so he did not recognize me.”Somi chuckled as she dabbed a bit of the antiseptic solution on one of the wounds. “By the way, sunbae, how did you recognize me?”

“I don’t think you’ve ‘changed’ necessarily, Somi-yah. Well, I suppose you have gotten skinnier. And you also have blonde hair...and light-colored eyes. But I can still it’s you, you know? After all, your kindness hasn’t changed. You’re still Jeon Somi to me.” Taeyong smiled as he ruffled her hair. 

Somi teared up at her upperclassman’s kind words, her eyes glinting happily. “Thank you, Taeyong sunbae. I really appreciate your words.”

Taeyong was right, Somi thought. Just because she had now changed to someone more conventionally attractive, didn’t mean that the person inside her had to change too. She could still be herself and live the simple life she always wanted. Nothing had to change.

Or so she thought. 

Later on, when school ended, as she got ready to walk back home, she was approached by Eunwoo.

“Somi-yah...if it’s okay, would you like to go and watch a movie with me this Saturday?”

“A movie? This Saturday? With you?”Somi looked at the man, eagerly anticipating an answer.

“Hold it, Cha Eunwoo. You jumped in pretty quick, as usual. Just because you’re fast, don’t think you can win that easily.”Mingyu interrupted, grabbing on to his friend’s collar.

Eunwoo flashed a smile too sweet to be genuine as he grabbed Mingyu’s hand, the angry veins evident. 

Just then, Taeyong and Jisung entered at the same time.

“Somi sunbae, I just wanted to apologize for earlier…”

“Somi, I was wondering whether I could borrow the sequel of the game you let me borrow the last time.”

The multiple conversations happening simultaneously slowly descended into chaos, causing Somi to stop the pandemonium from increasing any further.

“Wait, wait, you guys. I can’t understand if you all talk at once.”

Clearing his throat, Eunwoo flashed a charming smile at Somi as he repeated, “As I was saying before I was interrupted, I was thinking of taking you out to watch a movie this Saturday.”

“Yeah, me too!”Mingyu exclaimed.

“Me three!”Jisung added. 

Puzzled, Taeyong shrugged, and said, “Well then, me as well.”

“So, who’s it going to be?”The four echoed in unison, causing Somi to inwardly have a mental breakdown.

-

“And that’s what happened. So could you help me out here, Son Chaeyoung?”Somi pleaded, helplessly staring at her friend. “I have no idea what to wear.” 

“I can tell.”Chaeyoung chortled, gesturing at the sorry state of Somi’s room where clothes were strewn all over the floor. “You are literally the main protagonist of some reverse harem.”

“Chaeyoung, this is no time to be making jokes. I don’t know what to do at this point. How did it even end up like this?” Somi said, taking off the skirt Chaeyoung brought over for her to try. 

“Well, you have become a complete hottie, so it’s hard for dudes to leave you alone. I am surprised more guys haven’t tried to hit on you. How’s the shirt?”

“It’s nice...but it’s a bit tight…”Somi said, trying to adjust the white blouse to make it more comfortable.

Chaeyoung stared at her friend’s voluminous chest and frowned. “Well, whatever. You better get yourself a boyfriend after this ‘date’, Somi. You need to get over Yong-rae’s death.”  
At the mention of Yong-rae’s name, Somi teared up. Seeing this, Chaeyoung shook her friend. “Jeon Somi, get a hold of yourself. You can do this. Think of this experience as a game where you’re the protagonist. But at the same time, maybe you should not tell them about your other interests. I know it’s a bit of a pain but I don’t want them to think you’re a weirdo.”

Somi saw the validity of Chaeyoung’s words. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I can definitely hide it for a day.”

\--  
The glitzy streets of Myeongdong that Sunday were even brighter than usual with the presence of four handsome boys, all impeccably dressed for their ‘date’. Women of all ages passing by could not help but steal a few glances at the quartet. 

Somi, in the meantime, was hyping herself up in a hidden corner, oblivious to the stares she was getting herself. “Okay, Somi, you can do this. It’s just for a day. You can act like a normal person for a day. Jeon Somi, hwaiting!”

“Ah, Jeon Somi. Over here.” Eunwoo called the girl over.

Eyes widening in shock, Somi clenched and then unclenched her fists to steady her nerves. Taking another deep breath, she stepped out of her corner and ran towards the group. Dressed in a simple but pretty white dress and matching sneakers, Somi was blissfully ignorant of the effect she had on the boys. 

“I am sorry I am late.”

“That’s okay.”They all chimed in unison. ‘Damn, why is she so pretty?’

“Let’s go watch the movie, shall we?”

-

“It’s finally over.”Somi sighed with relief as they walked out of the movie theater. 

“Somi, how’d you like the movie?” 

“What? Uh...it was nice.”Somi lied, tightly smiling. ‘I couldn’t even focus because of all the action beside me.’ 

“Oh, Jisung-ah, are you still crying? ” 

“Please let go of me, sunbae.”

Somi turned around to see Taeyong trying his best to wipe Jisung’s tears away with another tissue as the younger boy struggled to get free. She choked on her spit as she stared, basking in the sight. ‘This is such a wonderful sight...wait, no imagining, no imagining. Jeon Somi, dispel all these wicked thoughts from your head right now!’

“Excuse me for a second. I need to go to the restroom.”

“Oh sure.”

After going to the restroom and practically screaming to release some of the pent-up energy, much to the fear of the other users, Somi exited the bathroom. “That feels so much better.”She sighed with relief.

“Somi-yah, can I steal you for a second?”Eunwoo asked, intertwining his fingers with Somi’s. 

“Eunwoo, what-?”She quieted after he hushed her with a finger to her lips. He took her into a little photo booth far away from the hustle and bustle of the other moviegoers. 

“Wait, why are we-?”

“I am sorry for being so sudden. It’s just...I wanted it to be the two of us.”Eunwoo smiled, causing Somi’s heart to thump excitedly.

“What is this feeling? Why is my heart beating so fast?”

Eunwoo smiled affectionately at the beautiful blushing girl next to him unwilling to meet his gaze, edging closer to her. But the sweet moment was ruined by an angry Mingyu barging into the photo booth, grabbing Eunwoo by the collar as he shook him. The other two were right outside, Jisung looking just as angry while Taeyong simply looked puzzled at the current scene playing out in front of him. 

“Oh, you found me out, Mingyu-ah.”Eunwoo laughed.

“Of course, you jerk, I know you.”

Somi, momentarily ignored by the boys, stared at the picture taken at the photo booth. It was of Eunwoo and Mingyu, Somi having been shoved out of the camera’s frame. 

“I have a picture of Eunwoo x Mingyu. What a treat. This is a national heirloom.”Somi inwardly squealed, slipping the picture into her bag. She then thought about the intimate moment she had with Eunwoo. “What was with my heart beating that fast? I need to get a hold of myself.”

“Let’s go get something to eat. I know this really nice restaurant. Somi?” Taeyong gestured.

“Ah, yes, let’s go.” Somi smiled, walking with the quartet. It was pleasant, even fun to be with these four boys who were all so different from each other. “Perhaps, this can actually work.”

But then, at that moment, a man in front of Somi’s favorite merchandise store announced, “Attention! Limited edition ‘The King and His Bodyguard’ goods are on sale today! These goods are autographed by the cast and the author. Come and get it before it gets sold out!”

‘What?! Autographed limited edition goods!’ Somi’s head turned at the announcement. ‘I must get it. Wait, no, must be normal! I can’t show them the weird nerd in me!’

“Oi, Jeon Somi, are you okay?”Mingyu asked.

“Ah, yes. Let’s go quickly.”

“ONE ITEM LEFT!”

“Wait, what?!” Somi screeched, much to the surprise of the others. Turning around to run into the store, she profusely apologized. “I am sorry...but I have to go. Otherwise, I will regret it.”

“What?”

A few moments later, Somi exited the store, a bag containing a body pillow of Yong-rae in hand. She had a determined look in her eyes as she walked up to the group. “I am sorry...but I am an otaku.”

Somi was met with silent shock by the group who were still comprehending the events that had transpired as she continued rambling. “I am so sorry for disappearing so suddenly but I would have regretted not getting this treasure. I am so grateful that you all have invited me out today...but in spite of my efforts to be ‘normal’, I just couldn’t hack it. While at the end, it was all for nothing, I guess I realized I should not lie to myself. But thank you for everything nonetheless.” She smiled, turning to walk back home. 

“Sorry but I don’t really get it. What exactly is the problem?” Taeyong asked, causing her to stop in her tracks and look back at the group. 

“Just because you like something that isn’t conventional, doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily weird. Isn’t it good to be passionate about something? At least, that’s what I think. Besides, Somi, right now, you look the happiest you’ve been today and I think you look so much better this way than the ‘normal’ you.” 

Teary-eyed, Somi lunged at Taeyong to give him a grateful hug, much to the shock of the others. Taeyong simply patted the girl on the head comfortingly. “Sunbae...you’re honestly an angel. You really are the best person I know.”

The others, not wanting to be shown up, also jumped in.

“Yes, I definitely agree with Taeyong sunbae. You look so much prettier right now than when you had that haggard and dead expression on your face earlier.”Jisung exclaimed.

“I agree.”Mingyu nodded in agreement.

“Me too. Somi-yah, the next time you want to go to these stores, take me with you.”Eunwoo offered.

Overwhelmed by the kindness of the group, she tried her best to envelope all of them in a group hug, causing them to blush. “Thank you so much, everyone.”

Letting go after a moment, her eyes sparkled with determination as she said, “Well, there are some more items that I saw in the store. So let’s go right now!”

“EH? WHAT?”


End file.
